[ernie]

I could go along with Hammett being an original member if it wasn't for the fact all he was doing was performing the music that Mustaine essentially wrote. Hammett didn't really contribute until the second album and even then Mustaine still had equal songwriting credit.

And if you believe Mustaine some of what is on Master of Puppets is also stuff he wrote (who knows...I wouldn't doubt it as songs often take years to evolve until they are ready to be debuted).

Mustaine is a bigger reason than hammett that those first two albums are considered classics. Not that Hammett isn't a great guitarist and a main contributor to the later success of Metallics he is...not as technically proficient as Mustaine (pre-Mustaine nerve injury), but seems to have more "soul" if that make sense. But original member? Not in my mind, he was basically a studio musician on that first album nothing more.

Mustaine vs Lars. It's really quite funny because both have admitted they talk on a pretty regular basis. They make up, get ****ed at each other, make up, get ****ed again etc etc etc. It's always been that way and probably always will. Both sides have done their fair share of whining.